Friday, April 17, 2009

Governor Rick Perry (R) of Texas has been having a wonderful time advocating state's rights. Last week, as shown in the video above, he signed legislation asserting the sovereignty of the Lone Star State and told off the federal government:

"I believe the federal government…has become oppressive in its size, its intrusion in the lives of its citizens and its interference with the affairs of our state. We think it’s time to draw the line in the sand and tell Washington that no longer are we going to accept their oppressive hand in the state of Texas. There is a point in time when you stand up and say, 'Enough is enough.' ”

Perry was also out there with the "tea party" anti-tax protesters in Texas. The crowd chanted "Secede! Secede!" as the governor let it be known that he stands with the fanatical and reactionary elements of the population:

“I’m just not real sure you’re a bunch of right-wing extremists. But if you are, we’re with you.”

On a roll, Perry implied to reporters that secession was a possibility:

"We've got a great union. There's no reason to dissolve it. But if Washington continues to thumb their nose at the American people, you know, who knows what might come out of that.”

Also in the video above, Rachel Maddow pointed out the gap between Perry's irresponsible declarations of independence and the reality of his state's dependence on the federal government. There are times, and they're not necessarily infrequent, when Perry wants the involvement of the"intrusive" government. Maddow pointed out recent examples:

“ ‘Enough is enough,’ except when you’ve got to ask for FEMA to come in to help with wildfires like you did five days ago and except when you’ve got to call for federal troops to help out on the border like you did last month or when you‘ve got to ask for another year and a half ‘s worth of federal funds for cleaning up the hurricanes. Other than that kind of stuff, other than the help that Texas really wants from the federal government, other than that, down with that oppressive federal government!"

One wonders where Texas will find the funds and the staff to handle these emergencies when the "oppressive hand" of Washington has been sent packing. Will this newly sovereign state have to raise taxes?